The 2006 United States state legislative elections were held on November 7, 2006, halfway through President George W. Bush's second term in office. This election was a wave elections in the United States election, and saw Democrats simultaneously reclaim both houses of Congress and pick up six governorships. Elections were held for 90 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. Kansas, New Mexico, and South Carolina held elections for their lower, but not upper house. Four territorial chambers in three territories and the District of Columbia were up, including the newly created territorial legislature in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Democrats flipped ten legislative chambers. Democrats gained control of the Oregon House of Representatives, the Minnesota House of Representatives, both houses of the Iowa General Assembly, and both houses of the New Hampshire General Court for the first time since 1875, giving them complete legislative control over those states. The Iowa Senate was previously tied. Democrats also won majorities in the Wisconsin Senate, the Michigan House of Representatives, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and the Indiana House of Representatives, turning those legislatures into split bodies. Additionally, a Democratic-led coalition was created in the Alaska Senate, which was previously a Republican majority. Democrats won more state legislative chambers than Republicans for the first time since the 2000 elections.
Conversely, Republicans gained control of the Montana House of Representatives with the lone Constitution Party representative voting for Republican control of that body.
Democrats won a trifecta in Iowa for the first time since 1967, and in New Hampshire since 1875.
Summary table Regularly scheduled elections were held in 90 of the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. Nationwide, regularly scheduled elections were held for 6,343 of the 7,383 legislative seats. Many legislative chambers held elections for all seats, but some legislative chambers that use staggered elections held elections for only a portion of the total seats in the chamber. The chambers not up for election either hold regularly scheduled elections in odd-numbered years, or have four-year terms and hold all regularly scheduled elections in presidential midterm election years.
Note that this table only covers regularly scheduled elections; additional special elections took place concurrently with these regularly scheduled elections.
State Upper House Lower House Seats up Total % up Term Seats up Total % up TermAlabama35353541051051054Alaska192095440401002Arizona3030100260601002Arkansas35351002/41001001002California204050480801002 Colorado183551465651002 Connecticut363610021511511002 Delaware21211002/441411002 Florida40401002/41201201002 Georgia565610021801801002 Hawaii25251002/451511002 Idaho3535100270701002 Illinois59591002/41181181002 Indiana25505041001001002 Iowa25505041001001002 Kansas040041251251002 Kentucky19385041001001002 Louisiana03904010504 Maine353510021511511002 Maryland47474741411411414 Massachusetts404010021601601002 Michigan38383841101101002 Minnesota67671002/41341341002 Mississippi05204012204 Missouri17345041631631002 Montana25505041001001002 Nebraska2549514 N/A (unicameral) Nevada102148442421002 New Hampshire242410024004001002 New Jersey04002/408002 New Mexico0420470701002 New York626210021501501002 North Carolina505010021201201002 North Dakota23474944794504 Ohio163348499991002 Oklahoma24485041011011002 Oregon153050460601002 Pennsylvania25505042032031002 Rhode Island3838100275751002 South Carolina046041241241002 South Dakota3535100270701002 Tennessee163348499991002 Texas1631522/41501501002 Utah152952475751002 Vermont303010021501501002 Virginia04004010002 Washington254951498981002 West Virginia17345041001001002 Wisconsin163348499991002 Wyoming153050460601002 Total1280197165N/A4595541185N/A
Electoral predictions
Early in the election cycle, analysts considered Democrats to have an advantage over Republicans, despite both parties controlling a similar number of competitive legislative chambers. The unpopularity of President George W. Bush, as well as a number of Republican governors, made the party vulnerable to losses in legislatures across the country, with Democrats looking to build on the gains they made in the 2004 elections. In addition to targeting many Republican-held chambers considered imminently vulnerable in 2006, Democrats also sought to make gains in more solidly-Republican chambers, such as the New York State Senate and Ohio House of Representatives, with the hopes of flipping them in 2008. As the cycle progressed, local political factors shifted projections for multiple chambers, usually in the Democrats' favor.
Ratings are designated as follows:
"Tossup": Competitive, no advantage "Lean": Competitive, slight advantage "Likely": Not competitive, but opposition could make significant gains "Safe": Not competitive at all
StateChamberLast electionRothenbergResultAlabamaSenateD 25–10 D 23–12House of RepresentativesD 63–42 D 62–43AlaskaSenateR 12–8 Coal. 15–5House of RepresentativesR 26–14 R 23–17ArizonaSenateR 18–12 R 17–13House of RepresentativesR 38–22 R 33–27ArkansasSenateD 27–8 D 27–8House of RepresentativesD 72–28 D 72–28CaliforniaState SenateD 25–15 D 25–15State AssemblyD 48–32 D 48–32ColoradoSenateD 18–17 D 20–15House of RepresentativesD 35–30 D 39–26ConnecticutState SenateD 24–12 D 24–12House of RepresentativesD 99–52 D 107–44DelawareSenateD 13–8 D 13–8House of RepresentativesR 26–15 R 23–18FloridaSenateR 26–14 R 26–14House of RepresentativesR 84–36 R 78–42GeorgiaState SenateR 34–22 R 34–22House of RepresentativesR 99–80–1 R 106–74HawaiiSenateD 20–5 D 20–5House of RepresentativesD 41–10 D 43–8IdahoSenateR 28–7 R 28–7House of RepresentativesR 57–13 R 51–19IllinoisSenateD 31–27–1 D 37–22House of RepresentativesD 65–53 D 66–52IndianaSenateR 33–17 R 33–17House of RepresentativesR 52–48 D 51–49IowaSenate 25–25 D 30–20House of RepresentativesR 51–49 D 54–46 KansasHouse of RepresentativesR 83–42 R 78–47KentuckySenateR 22–15 R 21–16–1House of RepresentativesD 57–43 D 61–39MaineSenateD 18–17 D 18–17House of RepresentativesD 76–73–1–1 D 90–59–2MarylandSenateD 33–14 D 33–14House of DelegatesD 98–43 D 104–37MassachusettsSenateD 34–6 D 35–5House of RepresentativesD 137–23 D 141–19MichiganSenateR 22–16 R 21–17House of RepresentativesR 58–52 D 58–52MinnesotaSenateD 35–31–1 D 44–23House of RepresentativesR 68–66 D 85–49MissouriSenateR 23–11 R 21–13House of RepresentativesR 97–66 R 92–71MontanaSenateD 27–23 D 26–24House of RepresentativesD 50–50 R 50–49–1NevadaSenateR 12–9 R 11–10AssemblyD 26–16 D 27–15New HampshireSenateR 16–8 D 14–10House of RepresentativesR 249–151 D 239–160–1 New MexicoHouse of RepresentativesD 42–28 D 42–28New YorkState SenateR 35–27 R 33–29State AssemblyD 104–46 D 106–42–1–1North CarolinaSenateD 29–21 D 31–19House of RepresentativesD 63–57 D 68–52North DakotaSenateR 32–15 R 26–21House of RepresentativesR 67–27 R 61–33OhioSenateR 22–11 R 21–12House of RepresentativesR 61–38 R 53–46OklahomaSenateD 26–22 D 24–24House of RepresentativesR 57–44 R 57–44OregonState SenateD 17–13 D 19–11House of RepresentativesR 33–27 D 31–29PennsylvaniaState SenateR 30–20 R 29–21House of RepresentativesR 110–93 D 102–101Rhode IslandSenateD 33–5 D 33–5House of RepresentativesD 59–16 D 60–15 South CarolinaHouse of RepresentativesR 74–50 R 73–51South DakotaSenateR 25–10 R 20–15House of RepresentativesR 50–20 R 50–20TennesseeSenateR 17–16 R 17–16House of RepresentativesD 53–46 D 53–46TexasSenateR 19–12 R 20–11House of RepresentativesR 87–63 R 81–69UtahState SenateR 21–8 R 21–8House of RepresentativesR 56–19 R 55–20VermontSenateD 21–9 D 23–7House of RepresentativesD 83–60–6–1 D 93–49–6–2WashingtonState SenateD 26–23 D 32–17House of RepresentativesD 55–43 D 62–36West VirginiaSenateD 21–13 D 23–11House of DelegatesD 68–32 D 72–28WisconsinSenateR 19–14 D 18–15State AssemblyR 60–39 R 52–47WyomingSenateR 23–7 R 23–7House of RepresentativesR 46–14 R 43–17
Maps
State summaries Alabama
All of the seats of the Alabama House of Representatives and half of the Alabama Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Alabama SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2523 2Republican1012 2Total3535 +Alabama House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic6262Republican4343Total105105
Alaska
All of the seats of the Alaska House of Representatives and half of the Alaska Senate were up for election. A Democratic-led coalition established control of the Senate while Republicans maintained control of the House. +Alaska SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic89 1Republican126 15Total2020 +Alaska House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican2623 3Democratic1417 3Total4040
Arizona
All of the seats of the Arizona Legislature were up for election. Republicans maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Arizona SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican1817 1Democratic1213 1Total3030 +Arizona House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican3933 6Democratic2127 6Total6060
Arkansas
All of the seats of the Arkansas House of Representatives and half of the Arkansas Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Arkansas SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2727Republican88Total3535 +Arkansas House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic7272Republican2828Total100100
California
All of the seats of the California House of Representatives and half of the California Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +California State SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2525Republican1515Total4040 +California State AssemblyPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic4848Republican3232Total8080
Colorado
All of the seats of the Colorado House of Representatives and half of the Colorado Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Colorado SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic1820 2Republican1715 2Total3535 +Colorado House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic3539 4Republican3026 4Total6565
Connecticut
All of the seats of the Connecticut Legislature were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Connecticut State SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2424Republican1212Total3636 +Connecticut House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic99107 8Republican5244 8Total151151
Delaware
All of the seats of the Delaware House of Representatives and half of the Delaware Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of the Senate while Republicans maintained control of the House. +Delaware SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic1313Republican88Total2121 +Delaware House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican2623 3Democratic1518 3Total4141
Florida
All of the seats of the Florida House of Representatives and half of the Florida Senate were up for election. Republicans maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Florida SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican2626Democratic1414Total4040 +Florida House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican8578 7Democratic3542 7Total120120
Georgia
All of the seats of the Georgia Legislature were up for election. Republicans maintained control of both state legislative chambers. +Georgia State SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican3434Democratic2222Total5656 +Georgia House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican101106 5Democratic7874 4Independent10 1Total180180
Hawaii
All of the seats of the Hawaii House of Representatives and half of the Hawaii Senate were up for election. Democrats maintained control of both state legislative chambers.